"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions.
All life is an experiment. The MORE experiments you make the better.
What if they are a little coarse, and you may get your coat soiled or torn?
What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice?
Up again, you shall NEVER be so afraid of a tumble."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Stay Strong!!!
I often use this quote I love from Mother Theresa, "if you cannot feed a thousand, feed just one."
Second to that one is "It is a kingly act to assist the fallen."
Mother Theresa understood that to do great things in life you have to do the little things that matter first!
You cannot jump to greatness!!!
Do not start trying to help the masses, just help the person right next to you!!
The rest will follow!
"It's the little things you do that can make a big difference.
What are you attempting to accomplish?
What little thing can you do today that will make you more effective?
You are probably only one step away from greatness."
- Bob Proctor
"Practice yourself in little things, and then proceed to greater."
- Epictetus
Hard to argue....Stay Strong!!!
Brendan O'Toole
He was many things in his short - way too short -lifetime!!
He was a precocious child, a cut up, a star athlete, a mentor, a sounding board, a class clown, a terror, a jokester, an incredibly bright student and child, a person you could not fool, a voice of reason, a rabid fan of basketball, a ferocious and limitless defender of his family and anyone he loved, a ferocious and FEARLESS defender of the weak and the helpless, a soft soul, a tough cookie, a rebel, a boundless and amazing father, a loyal and beyond dependable brother and friend, a devoted and loving and committed son, a student of life, a well read and astute human being. The list is endless....
Although we see written and hear it way too often...TRUST ME on this when I tell you....
Brendan O'Toole was truly ONE OF A KIND!!
But one thing he has never been accused of his whole life??
Subtlety!!!
Tonight I was rushing home after a late conference call and meeting.
As I made my way through midtown to the train, a young lady stopped me in my tracks on Madison Avenue.
She was no more than 25 years old and clearly from Europe given her seemingly Swedish accent.
She wanted to get to Times Square but was not sure where it was in relation to our location.
I explained where we were and said it was probably best to grab a taxi cab to her destination.
I tried to hail a cab for her to no avail and explained to her how to spot an open cab.
As we were trying, along comes a Pedicab!!
Interestingly, as we both spotted the Pedicabber approaching, she had this look of fear, and shook her head violently that she was not interested in traveling with this gentleman on his 3 wheel chariot!!
I sensed her blatant trepidation, and almost pre-warned, and as the Pedicabber launched into his pitch
I interrupted him and asked him how much to Crowne Plaza Times Square for the lady?
As prophesied by Brendan, this guy incredibly points to his sign of fares!!!
Not a word ..and he was clearly American and spoke English!!
Yet when asked how much he would charge he merely pointed to the ridiculously criminal sign of streets and avenues and stared at us!
Well, Brendan may not be here physically but let me tell you he was more than present spiritually!!
Possessed by BTO, I said to him:
"Are you kidding me?". "Flat fee to Crowne Plaza . No bull shit ... No games."
Well this clearly shook him up but he still had his game on!
After looking at me like "WTF?" He says how much do you want to pay?"
Inga from Sweden looks at me and clearly emboldened by our exchange, yet still skeptical whispers to me..
$20...
"10 dollars" I reply!!
He looks at me again like WTF?
So I say " my Bro in law drove a Pedicab and he would be pissed ay what you are pulling on this young lady."
He says "who is your Bro in law?"
I say simply "Brendan".
He clearly knew BTO and clearly embarrassed he says to me, "I knew Brendan, he was the best"
He then says to Inga, " $10 it is...plus tip...". And flashes me a "come on Bro" look....
She looks at me and I say it is a good price and tell her to tip him ONLY If he is good and does a good job.
With a handshake I tell him to stop the pointing at the sign bullshit and be upfront with people. I told him to remember Brendan is watching him and to do the right thing!
She jumps in the pedicab and they disappear!! She looks back with a wave and a smile and she may now trust the industry again - and spread the word!
Brendan was many things, but he was never subtle and he is still telling us that he lived the last decade of his life fighting for justice and equity for his livelihood and WE NEED to fight for him now!!!
Who else will do it for him but we who loved him??
More to follow..
Stay Strong!
"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive."
- Eleanora Duse
Step back and relax today.
Focus only on the big picture.
Focus only on your abundance of blessings!
Wouldn't it be amazing and so liberating if we could stop fretting and worrying about everything that we waste time daily worrying about?
Imagine if we could just hand over and delegate all of our anxieties, worries, fears and concerns to someone else to worry about and we could focus only on our blessings and the things that bring is peace and joy and happiness!
Well, guess what...we can TODAY if we have Faith and Trust in a Master Plan for us!
Hand over all your worries and fear and useless anxieties to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
They want us to..they invite us to do it and the offer always stands!
It is quite the offer!!!
Why not give it a shot.
What do we have to lose afterall?
Stay Strong!
Please read this quote:
"To sense that behind anything that can be experienced there is a something that our mind cannot grasp and whose beauty and sublimity reaches us only indirectly and as a feeble reflection, this is religiousness.
In this sense I am religious "
When I first read this quote, I thought it was from the lips of someone who might be regarded as deeply spiritual, someone like Ghandi or a well known religious figure.
We are constantly assaulted by science and theories of evolution versus Genesis. If you are Catholic, you believe what the Bible tells us of the Creation of man directly from God.
Naturally, in the world we live in, this science and all the theoretical explanations of how we come into existence are gaining traction in many people's minds. It is an easy explanation and people like and want easy.
So when I saw this quote that essentially validated in this person's beliefs that there is something, some force beyond this physical world that exists and that we cannot fully grasp.
Something that is unexplainable and Beautiful and sublime, something that science cannot define or prove or validate for the masses!
He calls this belief "being religious".
I was thrilled to see the person quoted with this belief was none other than perhaps the most well known and respected scientist IB history... Mr. Albert Einstein!
If anyone in my opinion could come out and float a scientific theory in direct contradiction of those who believe in an after life, resurrection, and a guiding, beautiful force, it is this man!
Very refreshing!
Have a great weekend and Stay Strong!!
"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
- Philo
Does not matter who you are or where you are in your life, everyone has their own challenges, battles and obstacles to battle every day.
Try to hold your tongue and your judgement when a situation arises.
Keep this in mind in your daily travels today and going forward.
Kindness and compassion are sorely needed in this world and it all begins with each of us taking the initiative upon ourselves.
Lead the way starting today!!
Stay Strong!!!
"Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance." - Epicurus
Life can be so hard and challenging, or it can be easy and light if we decide upfront what we will use as a measurement of our success and happiness!
We are pre-conditioned by society to chase the gold ring continuously and few people seem to slow down and enjoy the true abundance they already have in their lives.
Very few people ever reach the Billionaire $$ status and live outrageously lavish lifestyles, yet we all seem to wish for that and want that type of abundance.
If we use this measurement of wanting and desire to determine our success or happiness, how can we not be disappointed and full of despair???
Choose wisely what you want to use as a measurement of your accomplishments and hence your fulfillment and you will find that happiness and joy will follow.
True achievement is not your net worth or your social status, it is what you do for others, what you do to make life easier and more palatable for others, what you bring to the table to assist and support those in need.
Mother Teresa never graced the cover of Forbes or Fortune yet would anyone argue that her net worth is practicably unobtainable by most souls??
Cut yourself some slack and be sure to pick and use the right criteria as you judge yourself and your station in this life!
Count your blessings..trust me you are full of abundance, you are simply looking at the "bottom line"! the wrong way!!!
Stay Strong!!!
"Do stuff. be clenched, curious.
Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead.
Pay attention.
It's all about paying attention. attention is vitality.
It connects you with others.
It makes you eager.
Stay eager.
―Susan Sontag
"Do stuff. be clenched, curious.
Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead.
Pay attention.
It's all about paying attention. attention is vitality.
It connects you with others.
It makes you eager.
Stay eager.
―Susan Sontag
It appears that a large amount of our frustrations and dissatisfaction, as well as doubt and skepticism regarding prayer comes from our "perception" of the results we experience.
Undoubtedly, every one of us has prayed for something in our lives and on more than once occasion we have found ourselves asking "where is the answer?"
I am beginning to understand that the answers to our prayers do not always come like a thunderbolt into our lives!
Often we pray for something we feel we need in our lives, or something we really want!
However, we have to understand that there are things we want that are not in our best interest - that do not occur because they are not in line with the plan for our lives!
There is a humorous saying that "God answers all of our prayers, but sometimes the answer is No".
This is true but I also believe that if we are patient and have deep Faith then we will get the answer to our needs and in line with the plan for our lives.
Daily, especially when the day seems to be pointing toward a negative start or trending toward a bad day, I pray to the Holy Spirit for strength, for guidance, and for inspiration.
This strength, guidance, and inspiration rarely comes within minutes of my request, HOWEVER it ALWAYS comes within hours and it sweeps over me like a wave.
Every single time it hits me and changes my outlook, my attitude and I feel deeply reinvigorated and inspired to drive forward - and I am CERTAIN that it is a direct result of my request!
So when praying for something, be patient yet remain confident that what you are asking, no matter what it is, will be answered although the result may not be exactly what you picture it to be.
I am always struck by the example in the Bible of the birds on this earth when we wonder what is next and if there is truly a plan:
"Look at the birds in the sky. They don't plant or harvest or gather food into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. You are more valuable than they are, aren't you?". Matthew 6:26
If we can believe this and have Faith and patience, we should not have a care in the world!
Enjoy this magnificent day, take stock and count all of your blessings and Stay Strong!!!
Relax! Stop stressing!
It is all in the plan!!
"In a factory building there are wheels and gearings,
There are cranks, pulleys, belts either tight or slack;
Some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly,
Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back.
Some are smooth and silent, some are rough and noisy,
Pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk;
In a wild confusion in a seeming chaos,
Lifting, pushing, driving – but they all do their work.
From the mightiest lever to the smallest cog or gear,
All things move together for the purpose planned;
And behind the working is a mind controlling,
And a force directing, and a guiding hand.
So all things are working for the Lord's beloved,
Some things might be hurtful if alone they stood;
Some might seem to hinder; some might draw us backward,
But they work together, and they work for good.
All the thwarted longings, all the stern denials,
All the contradictions, hard to understand;
And the force that holds them, speeds them and retards them,
Stops and starts and guides them – is our Father's hand."
- Annie Johnson Flint
Life can be so more manageable when we stop stressing and worrying about all of the things we cannot control!
Whatever your spiritual belief may be, regardless of your religion, if we can have Faith that there is a plan for each of us and that being anxious or worried will not alter that plan one iota, we will be able to experience more Peace and Joy and love on our lives.
Act with kindness, compassion and pursue your goals and dreams with all you can give, but do not give in to the temptation to fret and worry all the time. It is a waste of your time and energy!
It always works out!
Stay Strong
"People excel, thrive, and are ultimately happier when they have a higher standard to look to and strive for.
I have NEVER encountered a situation in which a goal didn't flood my spirit with Hope, fill my mind with Determination, and generally bring out the best in me!"
- Matthew Kelly
Wake up time!!!!!
No more talking about it!
No more excuses!
If we have learned anything in our lives it is that life is too darn short and that if we don't take action NOW we will never take action!
Here is my challenge to all of you today!!
There must be something, one thing, one goal that you have had bouncing around in your head for some time now that has been derailed for a multitude of reasons!
Excuses are very easy to accommodate as we grow older and that is why TODAY we are going to identify that one goal we have always wanted to pursue and we are going to COMMIT to pursuing and achieving it!!!
No excuses....put it down in writing!!! Make it THE most important thing to do in your life right now!
Understand, This is a crucial crossroads for us right now!!! It is not so much the actual achieving of the goal that matters - but the fact that we are going to ACCOMPLISH it, whatever that goal may be!!
I will put my money where my mouth is too!!
For me running a marathon was always an audacious goal and always seemed unachievable to me.
I talked about it, dreamed of it, but to date have failed to achieve it!
Well, yesterday I signed up to run a marathon in October and bought a training book!
I am also going to raise serious money for cancer research in the name of my Dad and my angel niece Fallon!
I am all in now!!! No excuses!!! And it is written here!!!
What are you going to commit to pursuing today?
Do it - add that special goal and pursuit to your daily life and it will quickly add energy, fire, enthusiasm and purpose to your days!
Trust me..a life without purpose and a goal to achieve is stagnation and as growth-seeking beings, we cannot afford NOT to do this RIGHT NOW!!
What is it that is going to change your life today???
Stay Strong!!
"Clearing"
"Do not try to save the whole world or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create a clearing in the dense forest of your life and wait there patiently, until the song that is your life falls into your own cupped hands and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know how to give yourself to this world so worth of rescue."
—Martha Postlethwaite
Mother Teresa said "you don't need to help the entire world, just help one person" and the passage above speaks to that notion.
We all have a role and a purpose.
This idea says to focus on seeking that purpose within ourselves and the rest will fall in place once we make that discovery.
Be patient and remain open to receiving it.
Stay Strong!
For me personally, I love Easter for many reasons. The spring weather, the joy the kids experience with the Easter Bunny, childhood memories of an innocent and naive period of our lives, a time to get together and share time with friends and family, etc, the Masters on TV, etc.
But besides these wonderful associations with Easter time, the main reason I love Easter is for what it reminds us of!!
To me Easter is a concrete reminder and renewal of HOPE! What could be more symbolic of hope fulfilled than Jesus rising from the dead.
I often think of his Apostles and Mary and what they must have suffered and endured that Good Friday as Jesus was humiliated, beaten down, tortured, tormented and eventually murdered in the most painful and inhumane manner possible.
The grief and helplessness and inner torment they must all have experienced that day and Holy Saturday.
It is hard to imagine it.
Yet, in one action Jesus and God resuscitated their hearts and souls!
He provided them with Hope of renewal, of everlasting life, He proved to them that death does not end our souls, but merely our human bodies. He renewed their faith and Spirit and gave them hope!
For all of you in need of some strength today, remember just how low His loved ones felt, how much overwhelming despair they must have experienced those 2 days.
Then remember that regardless of your current temporary challenges, your hardships, and your struggles, Jesus promises us all the same renewal, the same lifting from the bottom, the same strength and hope and faith that will be rewarded to all of us - and not only at the end of our earthly lives, but also NOW if we believe and grasp that Hope He gave on that first Easter Sunday!
Stay Strong!
"Love one another."
- Jesus of Nazareth
John 20:14 ASV
"When Mary had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?
She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turneth herself, and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say, Teacher.
Jesus saith to her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the Father: but go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.
Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, I have seen the Lord; and that he had said these things unto her. "
Stay Strong!
"If you are what you should be you will set the world on fire."
- Catherine of Sienna
It is a strange thing , but I have noticed that even a blind man knows when he is in the presence of a great light.
The world needs YOU to be such a light!
It can be a small act or gesture, or a grandiose act ....but you possess the same potential as any other person in history to lead and to inspire and to succeed!!
Nothing disqualifies you from achieving ALL that you were put on this earth to accomplish!!!
Only your mind holds you back!!! And that you can change!!!,Today!!
Start changing how you think about your purpose and mission this very second and BELIEVE in your God given abilities!!!
And take that first step toward peace and fulfillment!
Stay Strong!
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can,
Begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it, Begin it now."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We have all heard the old adage, if you have to ask how much it costs, you cannot afford it.
Well, that adage does not apply when it comes to the cost of receiving help or assistance in your most desperate time of need.
I have recently discovered that no matter what it is that you need, whatever problems or troubles or Rocky Ground you are traveling over at this moment, there is a strength, a lifeline, a solution and a helping hand always readily available to you. Always!
It is always there waiting for us and all we need to do - the only effort or cost of this assistance and immense source of strength and faith is that we ASK for it!
That is it. We Ask for it. Period.
It seems so simple that it becomes unbelievable and laughable to most of us! And often as a result we do not even bother to try and ask for help!
But have you really tried? Have you really asked? Do you really believe that your request will be granted as you ask it?
I hold many sources of strength that I go to regularly in order to ask for Help and Peace and Guidance.
They all work but for me most recently the Holy Spirit is who I rely on to provide me the strength and faith to carry on forward!
I will let the rest be told by Charles Stanley, author of "Relying on the Holy Spirit".
"What must we do to receive the Holy Spirit's help?
We need to ask for it. Ask for His help before you pray. Ask for his help as you pray. Do not allow yourself to be discouraged. When you are most discouraged about prayer, don't give in - THAT is the very time when you need to pray!
Jesus promised that our Helper is always available and is instantly accessible. He is never out of the officr when we need Him.
The Holy Spirit understands everything you think, feel, or experience. Paul says the Spirit searches our hearts and knows the mind of the Father.
As we pray, the Holy Spirit reveals the plan of God to us. We pray for what we can think of and then WF pause and listen for God to speak to us. We very likely will not hear Him speak with an audible voice, but suddenly we think of additional things to pray about.
We continue this process and we begin to receive the knowledge from the Holy Spirit. We have a sense of resolution and Peace.
We have a deep assurance that God is answering us and that He is in control. At times we may have clear direction -we know what to do, when to take action, and how to pursue God's answer.
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." Paul (1 Cor. 2:12)"
All this ..all the peace and comfort and guidance and hope and love, all this just by Asking!??
Not a bad deal if you ask me!!
Give it a shot!
Stay Strong!
"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is a fact that we as humans are growth seeking beings and we can identify when we are growing by the emotion we experience.
When we feel happiest we are experiencing growth in our lives, either intellectually or spiritually.
When we feel sad, anxious, or frustrated, we can be sure that we are stagnant and not growing.
The key is to put our total focus on what we WANT and do not stray from that mental visualization of what we want!!
Forget the past and do not focus on the present - choose what you want and put all your efforts into what you want and keep visualizing it - and it will come to you!!
Pick something new to do today and constantly seek growth!!!! This will automatically translate into happiness and peace!
Think about when you were happiest and most likely it had to do with some growth activity!! And if you are unhappy right now it is most likely because you are feeling stagnant in your life.
Take the proper steps to change that today!!
Stay Strong!
"When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength.
Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself."
- Tecumseh
So true.....we all have such abundance and blessings compared to the rest of the world.
It is staggering what we take for granted every single day! The list of how worse other human beings in other countries and even in our own backyard have it is immense.
So give thanks for all we have and thank the Lord we live where we do! And offer prayers to those less fortunate than all of us who face daunting challenges of unreal proportions every minute of every day!!
Stay Strong!!
